NASA engineers reprogrammed Mars helicopter's Snapdragon chip to run the rover instead, reconfiguring system from 140 million miles away — repurposes its 'ancient' unused Qualcomm 801 SoC, accurate to within 10 inches

NASA engineers have successfully reprogrammed the Snapdragon chip in the Mars helicopter to run the Perseverance rover instead, allowing it to navigate autonomously on the red planet. By repurposing the unused Qualcomm 801 SoC, the rover can now determine its location with an accuracy of 10 inches using a technology called Mars Global Localization. This innovative solution enables the rover to take panoramic photos, convert them into a bird's eye view, and compare them with satellite terrain maps to pinpoint its exact location without relying on GPS. The reprogramming of spacecraft from millions of miles away showcases NASA's remarkable engineering capabilities, with potential applications for future missions.